Planning commission issues unfavorable referral on Comlink's 520 Success Ave affordable-housing application

Attorney Steven Bellas, representing Comlink Inc., described a settlement agreement with the town committing affordable units at 520 Success Avenue and said the application was submitted under Connecticut General Statutes §8-30g, the state statute governing affordable housing applications.

Town planner Sismitha Otata reviewed a staff report noting the project footprint straddles the Stratford–Bridgeport border, the proposal has grown from an earlier 7‑unit plan to 45 units, and 37 of the 45 units are proposed as affordable. Otata said affordable housing is a POCD objective but the draft zoning text for the proposed Majestic Place District is incomplete or vague on important standards (parking, bulk/height, setbacks, impervious area, architectural review and energy/sustainability measures), and that the commission should ensure the text creates enforceable standards for a long‑term zoning district.

Commissioners focused on parking. A commissioner observed the plan shown to the commission listed 56 parking spaces at 18 feet wide (town policy 20 feet), which effectively reduces capacity; with 22 spaces previously described as off-site the commissioner calculated only 29 on-site spaces versus a 1.5 spaces-per-unit expectation (about 67.5 spaces for the development), and warned of likely spillover into surrounding streets.

Attorney Bellas replied that commissioners were reviewing an older draft and that Comlink has since purchased adjoining land so parking is now on-site; he also said the applicant has filed updated materials that include bulk standards and other edits. Planner Otata recommended the commission base its referral on the materials that were submitted and cited POCD inconsistencies in the draft language, or else postpone action only if the commission has the revised text to review.

A commissioner moved and the planning commission voted unanimously to issue an unfavorable recommendation, citing inconsistency with POCD land-use objectives and staff/DEEP concerns. The referral will be forwarded to the zoning commission for decision under §8‑30g.